CHANDIGARH, Jan 5: Justice Ishwar Prakash Vashist, a judge of Allahabad High Court, was today sworn in as Lok Pal in Haryana. The oath of office was administered to him by Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad at Raj Bhawan here today. The appointment - which is the first in the state under a legislation enacted in 1997 - of Vashist has been opposed by Indian National Lok Dal chief and Leader of Opposition in Haryana Vidhan Sabha Om Parkash Chautala.Talking to mediapersons, Chief Minister Bansi Lal defended his choice, describing Justice Vashist as an ``eminent jurist'' and that the appointment was made after completing the required procedure. ``In fact, I wrote three letters to Chautala regarding the appointment of Justice Vashist but he did not care to reply even once,'' he emphasised. Chautala had submitted a memorandum to the Governor, objecting to the appointment.Bansi Lal said the Chief Minister, his Council of Ministers, legislators and senior officers of the state government would come under the purview of the Lok Pal who would inquire into complaints of corruption in high places. Vashist has been appointed for a term of five years.Under the Haryana Lok Pal Act, 1997, enacted by the HVP-BJP government to check corruption at high places, he would be entitled to the pay and allowances as admissible to the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court from time to time.
